Happy Mothers day to all the Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunties & Caregivers out there...

My mother passed away when i was 7 years old, she was 33 when she passed. I cherish the memories i have of her, and i thank her for giving me life.

That's me in the picture above as a newborn (baby cocoa) and my mommy (that's what i remember calling her).

My Grandmother (Granny is what we called her) My Grandmother Nancy was my fathers mother, she took me in and started raising me a few months after my mother died. She was the ROCK of our family, a strong Black Woman.

Granny was one tough cookie.... a calmer version of Madea. She didn't tote guns in her purse or drive cars through windows like Madea, but she gave tough love and held the family down.

She use to HAND wash ALL my clothes (no washing machine) she washed my jeans, shirts & sweaters literally in the bath tub.

Most of us can't begin to relate to how hard it is to actually hand wash jeans, but my grandmother was a different type of woman from a different era.... STRONG!!!

As Kids we don't recognize or appreciate the sacrifices the people who raise us make, we don't comprehend the blood, sweat and tears... we don't understand it until later in life.

Back then, i loved my grandmother, but i always felt she was too hard on me. at age 18 I moved out on my own, immediately after high school (literally 3 days after graduation), i packed up and moved to another state.

After living on my own for a while, i started to examine my life and who i had become as a woman. I began thinking about how i had been through so many trials and tribulations in my life that should've broken me, but didn't.

I'm not perfect (by any means), I've been through A LOT of ups and downs, but against all the odds of my crazy life... I don't drink, smoke or do drugs... i respect myself and others, i have morals and values, i am independent and strong, and it's all largely due to how i was raised by my Grandmother!

After i came to this realization, I wrote Granny a very heartfelt letter (yes... a actual handwritten letter). This was years ago before i owned a cell phone, i actually didn't have a phone at all back then.

In the letter i thanked Granny for taking me in as a child and for raising me as one of her own, i wanted her to know that i am who i am because of the way she raised me, i wanted her to know that i acknowledge that she didn't have to take on the responsibility of raising me, and i wanted her to know that i very much appreciate everything she did for me.

My Grandmother passed away years ago from Cancer. I SALUTE her for being the strongest women i know, and for all she did for me and my entire family.